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Your Guide to the Lake District National Park
The Lake District National Park, also known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a rural area in Cumbria, North West England. Strangely the reason the Lake District is so well known is because of its impressive landscape of lakes and mountains (best known as fells).
The Lake District is one of England's few mountainous regions. Interestingly all the land in England higher than three thousand feet above sea level lies within the Lake District National Park and this includes Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England, with over 3,500 kilometres of rights of way there are plenty of walks to enjoy.
When exploring and walking the fells, it is easy to get lost. You should always go prepared for the weather, it can change fairly quickly, and take a good map with you. Some excellent advice can be found here, and although there are some wonderful mountain rescue volunteers in the Lake District, they really do not wish to meet you on the fells.
There are lots of lakes and tarns within the Lake District, including England's deepest Lake, Wastwater, which can be found between the towns White Haven and Millom. Although Bassenthwaite Lake, along the A66 between Keswick and Cockermouth is the only titled ‘lake’ - the rest are ‘meres’ or ‘waters’. Many of there lakes offer visitors an opportunity to explore and enjoy the the water, whether you want to try rowing, sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, fishing or simply splashing about on the lakeshore, or watching the local wildlife.
Amongst
the local wildlife, the Lake District is one of the few places in Britain
where the red squirrel and still be found, and if you choose to explore
the fells, watch out for the Ravens and the Birds of prey as they are
a relatively common sight.
The Lake District is steeped in history, people living there since the end of the last ice age, and there are traces of prehistoric and medieval fields, a number of monuments such as stone circles, Roman Roads and Forts to explore, as well as the remains of a mining industry – including Slate mines, such as Honister Slate Mine.
Feeling hungry?
Kendal Mink Cake is the most well known local produce. Kendal mint cake was first developed in 1869 by Joseph Wiper, by mistake, but today is well known for its high energy content and is enjoyed by mountaineers and explorers, but did you also know that the Lake District area is also renown for its Damsons, Cumberland Sausage, Herdwick Lamb, delicious Grasmere Gingerbread and yummy rum butter.
There are number of unique sports that are associated with the Lake District area, they include:
Fell running - Fell (mountain) runners tackle arduous off-road routes at high levels and with grueling gradients. Fell runners must also be excellent navigators with enough mountain sense to survive in possible difficult weather conditions.
Hound trailing - is where hounds run over the fells after a scented rail in a test of speed and stamina. The trail hounds can average speeds of 20 miles per hour. For spectators, the most exciting sight is the finish where trainers use whistles and bells to encourage their hound across the line, which is really worth watching. Check out our page for more details.
Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling - brought to the Lake District by the Vikings, and still takes place today at many of the summer shows across the National Park. The wrestlers wear the traditional costumes of white long johns, embroidered velvet trunks and a white vest, and is a really traditional activity to observe.
